Self-cleaning moting rail for cotton gin



8, 1957 I D. B. MOGREGOR 2,776,455

SELF CLEANING MOTING RAIL FOR COTTON GIN Filed Nov. 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig./

i Fig.2

/ s e-M ff Donald B. M: Gregor IN VEN TOR.

BY WW 5M5 Jan. 8, 1957 D. B. MOGREGOR SELF CLEANING MOTING RAIL. FOR COTTON GIN FiledNov. 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

Donald 8. Mc Gregor IN V EN TOR.

A Home United States Patent SELF-CLEANING 'MOTING RAIL FOR COTTON GIN Donald B. McGregor, Weslaco, Tex.

Application November 22, 1955, Serial No. 548,393

12. Claims. (CI. 19-58) This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a self cleaning moting rail for cotton gins and more particularly relates to an attachment for acotton gin moting rail whereby accumulations of wet cotton fibers upon the moting rail may be readily cleansed, thereby contributing to the efficiency of operation ofthe gin stand.

In conventional cotton gin stands, the ginning of green or overwet cotton frequently results in the depositing or incrustations of the wet fibers upon the moting rail between the gins saws. These incrustations build up until they reach sufficient proportions to obstruct various working spaces in the associated parts of the gin stand, and constitute a serious fire hazard by the frictional engagement with the faces of the gin saws, and very seriously and detrimentally affect the efiiciency of the operation of the gin stand.

It is a primary purpose of this invention to provide a device whereby the above mentioned difficulties may be completely overcome.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment which may be readily applied to conventional gin stands for effectively overcoming the above mentioned objection.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a shield or guard which may be applied to a conventional moting rail in an improved, compact and simplified manner whereby the building up of incrustntions of cotton fibers upon the moting rail may be completely overcome. v

A still further important object of the invention is to provide a shield or guard in conformity with the preceding objects which may be slidably mounted upon a moting rail and will closely conform to. the contour thereof,

whereby any incrustations or deposits of wet cotton fibers upon the moting rail guard or shield may be easily removed by a slight shifting of the guard longitudinally of the moting rail whereby incrustations are moved into the path of travel of the gin saws for removal thereby.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a self-cleaning guard or shield for moting rails in compliance with the preceding objects together with means located exteriorly of the gin stand for applying a slight transverse sliding movement of the moting rail relative to the gang of gin saws.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the interior of a gin stand showing the manner in which the improved self-cleaning moting rail attachment is applied thereto, parts being broken away;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon a plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of 2 Figure 1, alternative positions of the moting rail cleaning device being indicated in full and dotted lines therein;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view taken upon an enlarged scale substantially upon the vertical transverse sectional plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of Figure l and showing the particular manner in which the improved guard or shield is slidably mounted upon the moting rail for cooperation with the latter and with the gin saws; and,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the novel attachment of this invention and which consists of the guard or shield adapted to be slidably mounted upon the moting rail, and actuating mean-s adapted to be located exteri-orly of the gin stand and a connecting means for the actuating means and the guard.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 10 indicates a portion of the frame of a gin stand of any conventional design, the latter including a gang of gin saws 12 which, in accordance with usual practice, are spaced approximately three-quarters of an inch from each other, a conventional moting rail 14 being disposed proximate the gin saws together with a brush assembly 16 for dofiing fibers from the gin saws.

In a conventional cotton gin of this character, when fibers having a high moisture content are ginned, as for example green cotton or overly wet cotton, it is quite common for wet fibers doffed from the gin saws by the brush assembly to be deposited in the form of Strings,

incrustations or built-up protuberances upon the adjacent surfaces of the moting rail 14. Eventually, such incrustations increase to such a size and extent that they interfere with the effective operation of the gin stand,

and frequently produce a serious fire hazard. It will be may be of sheet metal or other suitable material, and includes a top Wall or top surface 20 together with front and back depending substantially vertical walls 22 and 24. The front and back walls are adapted to snugly engage the corresponding walls of the moting rail for sliding movement thereon. The top wall 20, however, is preferably dish-shaped and contoured to conform to and be swept by the brush assembly 16 during rotation of the latter. Thus, adjacent the rear wall 24, the top wall 20 has a portion 2a which is adapted to closely overlie and rest upon the mote rail, while adjacent the forward wall, the top wall rises above the moting rail and towards the gin saws as will be best apparent from Fig. 3.

In order to mount the guard slidably upon the mote rail for longitudinal movement thereon transversely of the gang of gin saws, the lower ends of the front and back wall are provided with inturned flanges as at 28, which embrace the lower ends of the corresponding walls of the moting rail. Thus, the guard or shield is retained upon the moting rail but is free for longitudinal sliding movement thereon. Preferably, however, the guard is of such length that its ends terminate in closely spaced relation at the ends of the moting rail. The clearance thus provided ispreferably not more than the spacing between two adjacent gin saws.

Means are provided for imparting a transverse, reciprocating, sliding movement to the guard. This means includes a lug 30 which extends from one of the walls such as the wall 24 of the guard and a connecting means in the form of a rod 32 having a threaded extremity 34 received in a threaded bore in the lug is provided. This rod extends through any convenient opening in the side of the gin stand frame and exteriorly of the gin stand is pivotally connected as by a bolt or pivot 3 6'to one end of an actuating member. The latter may conveniently comprise a lever 38 provided with an aperture 40 which is adapted to receive a fastening bolt or pivot bolt 42 by means of which the lever is secured to any convenient portion of the frame of the gin stand.

As previously described, it will now be apparent that by manually shifting the lever between the full line and dotted line position shown in Figure 2, the guard or sleeve may be moved longitudinally of the mote rail. During this movement, any incrustations of lint fiber built up upon the guard between the gin saws will be shifted with the path of travel of the gin saws and be promptly removed thereby.

It should be understood that for simplicity of illustration, the actuating means 33 has been shown as a manually operated lever. However, it is of course within the comprehension of this invention to provide any suitable automatic means for periodically imparting a reciprocating movement to the guard.

There has thus been provided a simple and inexpensive attachment which may be readily applied to conventional gin stands, and will completely eliminate the building up of dangerous incrustations or deposits of lint fiber upon the moting rail thereof.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A gin stand including a gang of gin saws and a moting rail proximate thereto, a shield slidably mounted upon said moting rail and interposed between the latter and said gin saws, means for shifting the shield longitudinally of the moting rail and transversely of the gang of saws whereby lint collecting upon the shield between the saws may be positioned for removal by the saws.

2. In a gin stand having a gang of gin saws and a moting rail proximate thereto, a cleaning attachment comprising a shield for interposition between the moting rail and saws for receiving incrustations of lint fibers which would otherwise be deposited upon the moting rail, means for mounting the shield upon the moting rail for sliding movement thereon transversely of the gang of saws whereby lint collecting upon the shield between the saws may be positioned for removal by the saws.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said shield extends substantially the entire length of the moting 4 rail but has its ends terminating in closely spaced relation to the ends thereof whereby to allow a limited sliding movement of the shield upon the rail.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said shield extends substantially the entire length of the moting rail but has its ends terminating in closely spaced relation to the ends thereof whereby to allow a limited sliding movement of the shield upon the rail, the permissible sliding movement being not greater than the spacing between adjacent saw blades.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein said shield extends substantially the entire length of the moting rail but has its ends terminating in closely spaced relation to the ends thereof whereby to allow a limited sliding move ment of the shield upon the rail.

6. The combination of claim 2 wherein said shield extends substantially the entire length of the moting rail but has its ends terminating in closely spaced relation to the ends thereof whereby to allow a limited sliding movement of the shield upon the rail, the permissible sliding movement being not greater than the spacing between adjacent saw blades.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said shield has a top wall and front and back walls respectively covering the top, front and back walls of the moting rail.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said shield has a top wall and front and back walls respectively covering the top, front and back walls of the moting rail, the bottom edges of the front and back walls having inturned flanges for embracing the moting rail and slidably securing the shield thereto.

9. The combination of claim 2 wherein said shield has a top wall and front and back walls respectively covering the top, front and back walls of the moting rail.

10. The combination of claim 2 wherein said shield has a top wall and front and back walls respectively covering the top, front and back walls of the moting rail, the bottom edges of the front and back walls having inturned flanges for embracing the moting rail and slidably securing the shield thereto.

11. The combination of claim 1 wherein said shifting means includes an actuating member disposed upon the exterior of the gin stand and a connecting means operatively associated with said member and said shield.

12. The combination of claim 2 including an actuating member adapted to be disposed upon the exterior of a gin stand and a connecting means attached to said shield and to said member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

